Pinball game apparatus are widely used in recreational centers, lounges and game rooms as competitive forms of social entertainment. Such games uniformly use a playing ball that is ejected to the upper end of a downwardly pitched playfield. The ball then moves under the influence of gravity through a maze of lanes formed by ball directing means such as target and bumper elements of various forms and ultimately to one or more out of play lanes that are generally located at the lower end of the playfield. As the ball moves through the lanes and contacts the target and bumper elements, appropriate circuits are completed to accumulate scoring points and further frequently to energize motor means for repowering the ball randomly over the playfield. The player can partially control the movement of the ball by limited jarring of the playfield and further through the activation of manually operated electrically driven flippers located on the playfield, typically at least a pair of which guard the lowermost out of play lane. When properly activated, the flippers slap the ball and redirect it toward the top of the playfield or toward specific target areas in the playfield. During the play, lights are typically illuminated at various locations on both the playfield and on a scoring display board extending upwardly from the upper end of the playfield and audible devices such as bells or chimes are normally activated in response to selective ball directing means being hit by the ball.
One form of ball directing means located on the playfield may include a kickout hole which receives the ball and momentarily holds it before motor powered ejection mechanism kicks it back onto the playfield. Another form of ball directing means is the drop target, which in the exposed position upstands from the playfield adapted to be struck by the ball and which then is shifted by activated motor means to a hidden position below the playfield. A variation of this is the scoring target which extends upwardly from the playfield and which is deflected when struck by the ball to activate scoring means that restraightens the target and in turn kicks the ball away. Additional ball deflecting means include the pop bumper and/or thumper bumper. Each of these generally is in the form of a mushroom like pedestal that has an upper ring and a lower annular skirt spaced from the ring. When the ball comes against the thumper bumper with sufficient force, it causes the lower skirt to be deflected and close a control switch. The closing of the switch energizes motor means which rapidly shifts the upper ring downwardly and the downward action kicks the ball away from the thumper bumper. It is typical to locate a plurality of other ball directing means in close proximity to the top or thumper bumper so that the ball movement is both rapid and multidirectional. Additional ball directing means include the straight bumper and the kicker or slingshot bumper, which most commonly are used to define ball travel lanes and/or for protecting specific scoring targets located on the playfield. The straight bumper typically is formed only of a resilient material, e.g., wire or rubber; while the kicker or slingshot bumper is powdered by motor means responsive to the bumper being struck by the ball to repower the ball away from the bumper.
As has been noted above, when the ball passes through certain lanes and when the ball strikes certain ball directing means, counting circuits are actuated and the score is totaled. By incorporating a logic in the counting or scoring system, definite or more preferred targets must be bit by the operator in order to accumulate a high total score. The variations of game scoring vary widely, as does the kinds and placement of the ball directing means about the playfield. The player operator is challenged to maintain continuing play and control of the ball by timely actuation of the flippers and to redirect the ball according to some specified game plan for activating the various ball directing means on the playfield. During the rapid movement of the ball about the playfield, high degrees of skill and quick reflexes must be brought into play in order to obtain the full benefit of the player controlled flippers in redirecting the ball for additional scoring and in keeping the ball away from the out of play lane. This adds to the challenge and appeal of the pinball game apparatus, since it distinguishes a skilled player from an average or mediocre player.
Generally, an apparatus having a challenging but controlled game format, with other operating features such as multiple player play, compounding or bonus scoring systems, and bonus ball replays, will be accepted and will be in great demand in the marketplace. However, because experienced players become rather selective in the pinball game apparatus on which they prefer to play, the owners and therefore the suppliers of such apparatus are constantly looking for new game formats and new features to add to the pinball game apparatus to make the overall play more appealing. For these reasons, new features are continually being built into pinball game apparatus which hopefully will appeal to both players and owners.
However, even though any single feature might appeal to the player, it must be of reliable and durable construction and operation, and it must be capable of economical incorporation in the game apparatus to appeal also to the manufacturer and owner.